The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-02-17
| SNOW bound AT EAGLES
BY BRET EARTE.
Copyrighted by Houghton, Mif11in & Co., and
published by arrangement with them.l
CHAPTER VI.

The LAUGHTER that followed was interrupted
,y a sudden barking Of the dogs in the outer
clearing. Zenobia rose lazily and strobe to
he window. 1t relieved Hale of certain
embarrassing reflections suggested by her
comment.
"If it amt that God -forsaken fool Dick
bringing up passengers from the snow bound
ID stage in the road! 1 reckon I've got
mthin' to say to that!" But the later appear
mce of the apologize Dick, with the assur-
nce that the party carried a permission from
Ter father, granted at the lower station in
fiew of such an emergency, checked her ac-
i've opposition "Thats like paw" she solilo-
Iuized aggrievedly; "Shuttin' us up and set
i'm the dogs on everybody for a week, and
hen letting the whole stage service pass
through one door and out at another. Well,
It's his house and his whisky, and they kin
AXE it, but they don't get me to help 'eln."
They certainly were not progressing or
rood natured acquisition to the party. Apart
rom the natural antagonism which, on such
occasions, those in possession always feel
coward the new conner, they were strongly
inclined to resist the dissatisfied querulous-
less and aggressive attitude of these fresh
applicants for hospitality. The most offensive
one was person who appeared to exercise
some authority over the others He was loud,
assuming and. dressed with vulgar preten-
sion. He quickly disposed himself in the
chair vacated by Zenobia, and called for
iome liquor.
~ reckon you'll hev to help yourself" said
Rawlins dryly, as the summons met with no
response. "There are only two women in
the house, and 1 reckon their hands are full
Already
Il call it ID uncivl treatment" said
the man, raising his voice; "and Hennicker
aad better sing smaller if he don't want his
Did den pulled down some day. He amt any
better than men that hev been picked up
afore now"
"You oughter told him that, and mebbe
he'd hev come over with YER" returned Raw
Inns. 'He's mild, soft, easy going man, is
Hennicker. Amt be- Col Clinchs"
The casual mention of Clinch's name pro-
duced the effect which the speaker probably
Intended. The stranger stared at Chnch,
who, apparently oblivious of the converse
ton, was blinking his cold, gray eyes at the
fire Dropping his aggressive tone to mere
querulousness, the man sought the whisky
demi john, and helped himself and his COM
panions. Fortified by liquor he returned to
the fire.
"I reckon you've heard about this yer rob
berry, colonel" he said, addressing Clinch,
with an attempt at easy familiarity.
Without raising his eyes from the fire
Clinch briefly assented, II reckon"
"I'm up yer examining into it for the ex-
press"
"iIost muchg" asked Rawlins.
"Not SO much ez they might hev. That
fool Harkins had 100000 in greenbacks
sealed up like an ordinary package of $1,000
and gave 1t to friend, Bill Guthrie in tine
bank to pick out some unlikely chap among
the passengers to take charge of it to Reno
He wouldn't trust the express. Ha! hal"
The dead, oppressive silence that followed
his empty laughter made it seem almost arti
fetal Rawlins held his breath and looked
at Clinch. Hale, with the instincts of re
fined, sensitive man, turned hot with tbs
embarrassment Clinch should have shown
For that gentleman, without lifting his eyes
from the fire, and with no apparent change
in his demeanor, lazily asked:
"Ye didn't ketch the name O. that passen
ger?'
NATURALLY, nd! For when Guthrie hears
what was said agin him he wouldn't give hi
name until he heard from him."
"And whaA was said agin hiIn?" asked
Clinch musingly.
"What would be said agin man that give
up that sum O. money, like chaw of to-
bacco, for the asking! Why, there were but
three men, az far ez we kin hear, that did the
job. And there were four passengers inside,
ermed, and the driver and express messenger
on the box. Six were robbed by three!-they
were a sweet scented lott Reckon they must
bev felt mighty small, for hear they got up
and skedaddIed from the station under the
pretext of lookin' for the robbers" He
laughed again, and the laugh was noisily re-
peated by his five companions at the other
end of the room.
was only echoing a part of his own criticism
Of eight hours before, was on the point OF
rising with burning cheeks and angry indig
nation, when the lazily uplifted eve Of
Clinch caught his, and absolutely held him
down with its paralyzing and deadly signifi
canoe. Murder itself seemed to look from
those cruelty quiet and remorseless gray
pupils. For moment he forgot his owl
rage in this glimpse of Clinch's implacablt
resentment; for moment he felt thrill o.
| pity for the wretch who had provoked it
He remained motionless and fascinated il
his chair as the lazy lids closed like a sheatl
over Clinch's eyes again. Rawlins, who hat
probably received the same glance of warn
ing, remained equally still.
"They haven't heard the last of it yet, yol
bet," conti1ued the infatuated stranger
! "Iye got a little statement here for th'
newspaper" he added, drawing some paper
from his pocket; "suthin' just run off il
the coach as l came along. 1 reckon it'll
| show things up in new light. It's tim
there should be some change. All the cuss
| in that's been usually done hez been by tn
passengers agin the express and stage com
| pany. Ipropose that the company shoul,
| do little cussin' themselves. See? P'r'ap
| you don't mind my readin' it to yea tt
| just spicy enough to suit them newspape
| chaps"
go on" said Col. Clinch quietly.
The man cleared his throat, with the pre-
| liminary pose OF authorship, and his fiy
| friends, to whom the composition was evi
IDENTIFY not unfamiliar, assumed anticipator.
| smiles.
Il call it Prize Pusillanimous Passen
| gers Sort of runs easy off the tongue, yo'
know.